Identity Theft

Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in America. Based on credit bureau statistics, an estimated 1.5 million and 1.7 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2008. From stolen credit card information to hijacked email accounts, from misappropriated personal information to impersonation of others online, the range of identity theft crimes is wide and ever expanding and most victims never learn how the identity thieves accessed their personal information in the first place.

Because teens post so much personal information online on blogs, social networking sites, and Web sites, they are at high risk for these crimes. Identity Theft explains the different types of identity theft crimes and how they are committed, providing valuable advice on how to protect personal information and stay safe online. Safeguards like Internet safety software and other technologies, such as biometrics, that can help protect an individual's identity are also discussed in this timely new book.

Chapters and topics include:

• Identity theft defined
• Protecting the identity of students
• Detecting, reporting, and recovering from identity theft
• Digital signatures
• E-commerce security.

John Vacca is an information technology consultant and internationally known best-selling author based in Pomeroy, Ohio. Since 1982, he has authored 61 books, many on technology and information security, and more than 600 articles in the areas of advanced storage, computer security, and aerospace technology. Vacca was also a configuration management specialist, a computer specialist, and the computer security official for NASA's space station Freedom program and the International Space Station Program from 1988 until 1995. In addition, he is also an independent online book reviewer, and he was one of the security consultants for the MGM movie Antitrust.

Mary E. Vacca worked for the aerospace industry, providing information technology (IT) support to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Shuttle program Office in Houston, Texas, for more than 20 years, until her retirement in 1995. Her work as a system engineer in developing management information systems gave her broad experience in identity management, computer security, networking, software development, and quality control. Mary was the lead system engineer for a meeting support system that combined hardware and software applications to support real-time online meetings being conducted between personnel located at the various NASA sites. She has also authored many technical documents during her career. Due to her love of writing, as an avocation, she has also coauthored three novels, one of which won second place for best novel in two writing contests. She has since spent much of her time writing short stories, poems, and nonfiction books.

Mary E. Vacca worked for the aerospace industry, providing information technology (IT) support to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Shuttle program Office in Houston, Texas, for more than 20 years, until her retirement in 1995. Her work as a system engineer in developing management information systems gave her broad experience in identity management, computer security, networking, software development, and quality control. Mary was the lead system engineer for a meeting support system that combined hardware and software applications to support real-time online meetings being conducted between personnel located at the various NASA sites. She has also authored many technical documents during her career. Due to her love of writing, as an avocation, she has also coauthored three novels, one of which won second place for best novel in two writing contests. She has since spent much of her time writing short stories, poems, and nonfiction books.